Reckoning: Chapter 47
by Michelle.Lee.PDX
Summary: Dru learns more about her new nemesis, Magdalena, a powerful and gifted svetocha, just like her. Oh, yeah and she's related to somebody she knows and is supposed to trust. Creatures, spells, psychic powers are on the horizon for our heroine.


"Excuse me?" I leaned forward with my hands down into the mattress. Did he just say the word "sister"?

Christophe swallowed before speaking. "Her name is Magdalena and she is_ svetocha_, like you." I sensed he was being evasive.

"Christophe, did you just say she is your sister?" I was getting frustrated with him. He slowly nodded a confirmation.

"What the hell?" My voice raised louder. The sleeping wulfen rolled over on the sofa where she was lying.

He bobbed his head in Nat's direction. "Dru, may I remind you that Skyrunner is still asleep."

"Okay. But this is a big fucking deal. Don't you think you could have said something sooner?"

"Language, Milady."

"Don't coach me, Christophe. Yesterday really sucked, partly because I didn't know what the hell was going on. If I had known you had an evil sister with a vendetta against me, who happens to be svetocha, at least I could've been armed or something." I was getting angrier as I spoke.

His response was almost a mumble. "Traditional weapons are not deterrents to Lena anyway." I sighed deeply out of frustration. _Are you saying she's invincible?_ "My sister is talented in ways that I am not. She is like you, physically, magically and psychically gifted. Lena has mastered the power of psychokinesis and she can touch things without being present, in addition to other talents." He leaned back in the chair and craned his neck to the side as if he was stretching. A sound came from his popping bones.

"That's just fabulous, Christophe." I flapped my hands down on the bed in frustration. "You should've told me about her… and a lot of other stuff too. When are you going to start telling me things that I really need to know?"

"Dru, that is not fair." He looked down at the carpeted floor. "I may be too direct at times but I cannot be an open book anytime you please. There are things, many things, in my life that I am not proud of doing. Most of them I want to forget, however that is not possible." Christophe stood up and sat on the bed to face me. His body radiated heat, which I felt intensely, even though we weren't touching.

I smoothed out the comforter in a nervous way before continuing. "Is one of those times the day you went to Elizabeth and Dwight's house and hurt my dad?"

Christophe stood up again, shuffled his bare feet on the rug, then walked directly over to me and leaned toward me onto the bed. I almost wanted to recline to distance myself. "Yes, Dru, it is." He took a few steps back and then sat on the chair with his hands in prayer position. "Did you see that when we transfused?"

Nat made a noise from the sofa that sounded like a yawn. I wondered if the fact that she was waking up would stop our conversation. _Please don't stop._

"Dru, know that I do not like keeping secrets from you, which is just one of the reasons I volunteered to bleed for you again. I knew the risk of you seeing something I would rather forget. The _loup-garou_ re-considered his choice because of this possibility."

"What?" I sat up straighter in my bed. "Are you saying that Graves was going to do it but backed out?"

Nat was awake now and silently watched from her seat on the couch. I looked over at her with bewilderment. "Is that true, Nat? Did Graves refuse to help me? I was dying wasn't I?" My voice squeaked in a high-pitched tone.

"Dru, you don't understand the whole story, sweetie. Graves wanted to but he isn't in the best position right now. It was decided that he shouldn't..."

I jumped at her last words. "Nat, wait. Did you all agree that he shouldn't help me? I thought you were on my side! Why would you do that?"

"Dru, I am on your side. Your friendship is the most important thing to me. I wish I could say more but I can't. Please don't be upset, Dru." Nat's beautiful face looked distraught as she pleaded with me.

Christophe leaned over to touch my leg but I pulled away. "_Kochana_, it was me, not the wulfen. I decided to do it." His expression looked remorseful.

"I don't understand any of this." _I have to get out of here._ I threw off the comforter and marched into the closet to pull on a pair of jeans and my blue Chucks. I grabbed a handful of hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. "I'm going out. Don't follow me."_ That's wishful thinking._

I slammed the door behind me and stepped into the hall. Once out, I felt better immediately. Fortunately there were no guardsmen in the hall so I didn't have to order anyone to leave me the hell alone. I took off running out toward the west exit doors of the _schola_.

I didn't intend on going anywhere but ended up at the old tennis courts, which had dilapidated nets sagging off the poles. Leaves and dead branches were lying around the worn down playground. It looked like it hadn't been used in ten years. I leaned against the chain-linked fence. I sensed that someone, like a guardsman, was not far away. However I really didn't care anymore.

_Why would Graves and Nat, maybe Shanks and Dibs too, agree to not help me? What are they hiding? Is Graves so insecure that he doesn't want me to see something? If I was near death, why wouldn't he help me? Dammit._

_Dru, remember to practice your katas_, Dad's voice said. Whenever I felt off balance or upset, moving through my thirteen stances never failed to balance me out again. So I stood in the middle of the court and focused my energy on position one. I was in the zone. Strangely, practicing my katas gave me a sense of connection to my environment and mostly to my mother, Elizabeth. She was an expert in _katana_ swordsmanship after all. I often imagined she too practiced her katas in the same places I stood on the grounds of the Prima.

As I completed form nine, I became light-headed as my vision fused into whiteness. The _touch_ pulled me along. After a moment, a darkly lit scene came into focus. I saw a familiar and comforting picture. I was back in Appalachia at Gran's house. She was standing at her kitchen table using a knife to cut butter into flour as she had done so many times before. Humming a familiar song, which never had any lyrics, my grandmother looked up and smiled at me. _I miss you, Gran._

"Girl, the key to making great crust is usin' cold butter and cuttin' it in flour. If you don't then your crust is done for."

I watched her in a trance as she rhythmically worked the knife through the mixture. "It took a lotta flops to learned to make good pie..." She hummed a few bars of the old melody before pausing again. "…but even when I made a bad pie I still did good."

I was confused. "How can a bad pie be good, Gran?" She smiled at me and waited in silence. Only the noise from the wood-burning oven stove could be heard.

"It's all part of the process, girl. Even when we messed it up, we learned. Sometimes when we don't know why, it's all right. Even a bad pie has its purpose… to make a great pie one day." She looked at me with her wise and wrinkled eyes. I sensed that she was talking about more than just making a strawberry rhubarb pie.

The scene faded away. I began to sense the feeling of being slightly cold. Goosebumps covered my bare arms. In my rush to leave the dorms, I forgot to bring my hoodie. I sniffed the early morning air and realized that a living creature was nearby. I scanned the tennis courts and saw what I sensed, a stray tabby cat. It looked at me in casual way.

I was still in a foul mood and wanted to be alone. "Go away!" I yelled at it, not expecting a response.

The cat froze where it stood. Its yellow eyes washed over with momentary flash of blue irises. Then it turned around and walked away, just like that. _Weird._

I made my way back to the main building of the _schola_, still confused by what just happened with the cat. _Did I make it leave or was that just some strange coincidence?_ I entered through the west doors only to find Christophe waiting for me on the other side. He was leaned up against a hallway with his hands behind his back and was wearing his Glock in a shoulder holster. He looked agitated.

"What now?" I tried not to sound irritated but it was difficult since our last conversation ended with me storming out.

"Milady." He fell in step with me as we walked back toward the djamphire dorms. "I need to tell you something important." I stayed silent but stole a glance at him from the side. His profile was always so beautiful. His brown hair was slightly curled at the nape, which complimented his icy blue irises perfectly. His smooth porcelain like skin was a healthy ivory tone. When his aspect waved through him, his hair became blondish at the same time his fangs extended into his bottom lip.

"Okay. Go ahead, Christophe." I sounded a little exasperated.

"I am sorry that I upset you earlier. I meant you well and would not want your friendship with Skyrunner to be afflicted because of my doing." I stopped walking and crossed my arms on my chest. I was still mad but interested in hearing out his apology.

He shifted his weight onto the left side. "Given the circumstances of late with Magdalena, I have made arrangements to further your education."

"Just what kind of education are we talking about?" I was nearing completion of my secondary education so the thought of more schooling just sounded unappealing.

Christophe held up his hand signaling for me to wait. "It is in the arts and the sciences, specifically the art of sorcery and the study of parapsychology." My eyes widened with astonishment. "The Maharaj have agreed to train you and will send a representative to meet you tonight. Your class schedule has been altered by replacing _malaika_ practice to accommodate the new area of study."

"But why do I need this Christophe? I'm doing just fine. I got this far on my own, didn't I?"

He stepped closer to me and I was overrun by the apple pie scent. His aspect waved and his fangs extended. He spoke with the lisp of a djamphire with long incisors. "Dru, while you are physically developed…" He looked me in the eyes with intensity. "… your psychic skills lack control, which is a risk. Magdalena's powers are superior to yours, but with the right training, in time you will rival her."

I didn't agree or disagree with what he just said. "What about _malaika_ practice? When will we be sparring then?"

Christophe paused for several awkward seconds. He took a step back and looked around the hall to ensure that no one was around. "You and I will not be sparring anymore, Milady. You will be working with a new trainer starting tomorrow."

"What are you talking about? Why not?" I looked around to see if anyone was watching us. It seemed empty and quiet for once.

Christophe paused for several seconds to compose his words. "Dru, I have recently come to the realization that my participation here is no longer… necessary. You are at an age that requires you to learn to be independent anyways. It is time that I moved on."

My ears were getting hotter and I could feel my aspect wave through my body. I'm sure that my hair looked like it was on fire with blond streaks. "No! I realize I've been a bitch to deal with but this isn't right."

He looked in the direction of the west, avoiding my gaze. "Dru, I have other obligations now. Plus hanging around is wasted energy for me and for you."

"I don't understand this. First Graves and now you? You're being totally selfish Christophe. As head of the Order, I demand that you stay. Who's idea was this? Hiro's? I can fix it. I need you here, dammit!"

He didn't react and kept on talking over me. "_Koch_… Milady, I have made all the arrangements for you to be well taken care of. This is not the Order's decision. It is mine and it is final." He gave me one last look and bowed. "This is goodbye, Little Bird." He turned and started walking down the carpeted hallway.

"Wait, goddammit!" Christophe paused but still didn't turn around.

"I don't understand what is going on." I threw my hands up in frustration.

"You don't have to understand, Dru. Just know that it will all be okay." He put his right foot down, then his left and with _djamphire_ speed, he was gone. Only the scent of warm apple pie lingered in the hallway with me.

For the rest of the day, I avoided everyone as much as I could while I muddled through classes. I was in shock and couldn't believe that Christophe was actually gone. How could he just pick up and leave everything after all we'd been through? It was like he just threw in the towel and gave up. I was baffled and pissed off at him at the same time.

The Order sent me a text that I was to report to Classroom B28 on the basement level for my sorcery arts lesson, just as Christophe pre-arranged. I stepped onto the lower level cautiously. I sensed that a guardsman, probably Thomas, was lurking around the corner, watching over me as usual. I found myself standing in front of the door to room B28, where there were no windows.

I knocked on the wooden door three times, but there was no answer. I knocked again. Finally the door opened slightly, ajar just enough to see that the lights in the room were dimly lit. I pushed it open a little further and stepped in. "Hello? Um, it's me Dru."

As I peeked in, I was surprised. _It's bigger on the inside than it looks._ Large woven canvases with scenes of ancient battles and unidentifiable creatures adorned the walls. In one tapestry I recognized the creature Revelle, a dream stealer. The artwork showed a scene where the thing was attached to some poor child's mouth as it slept. The snake-like creature with wings was laying eggs in the child's throat, preparing it like a nest for the offspring to feed upon when they hatched. It reminded me of some cheesy SyFy movie I ended up watching after the Sharnado marathon ended. A shiver ran down my spine with the memory that one of those monsters sucked on my face too. If it had not been for Graves, who pulled the thing off me, I'd be an egg salad sandwich. _Wherever you are Graves, I want you to know… I miss your smart ass, but I'm still pissed at you too._

I walked around the room looking at everything with fascination and a little bit of fear. I saw several glass terrariums and aquariums with insects, fish, and amphibians of exotic varieties. I noticed there was a bee colony hard at work, swarming around its queen. The scent in the room was distinct, a mixture of sulfur, Chinese herbs and the stink of reptiles.

Small teak tables were set up in the middle of the room, which were covered with unrecognizable exotic and antique chachkies. Some tables contained items that were somewhat familiar looking, a sapphire encrusted bracelet, a silver flask and a cow-shaped cookie jar. _Is that what I think it is? I haven't seen that since Christophe pulled us out of South Dakota. It's mom's cookie jar. Where the hell has it been all this time?_

"Good morning, or rather good afternoon, Rajkumari Faulk." A voice came from across the room. At first I didn't see anyone but I sensed a person was there. After a minute of scanning the room, to my shock I saw a pair of eyes, brown ones, looking back at me. There was no face, no body, attached to those eyes.

"How are you doing that?" I needed to know.

"It is called transdivergence, which I can teach you if you would like."

"First I need to know who you are. Are you Maharaj?"

A pair of lips appeared below the eyes. They spoke with a Hindi-English accent. "You already know me, Milady." Finally a face appariated followed by a head, shoulders, torso and lower body.

"Leander?" I recognized the form of an 18-year-old young man who drugged me into paralysis several years earlier. His dark eyes and gold earring glinted in the dim lamps of the room. I immediately got a whiff of his scent, spices and dry burning sand. I still found him to be intimidating and somewhat standoffish. "Are you my new teacher?"

"Yes, Miss Dru. I have been requested assist you in harnessing your talents. Please take a seat so we may begin." He motioned to a few seats in the center of the room.

I hesitated, however followed his instructions by choosing a teak stool. "Is that my mother's cookie jar?" I pointed to the table nearby. _I'm dying to know what it's doing here._

Leander spoke with utmost confidence, which was a bit grating on me. "That it is. I assume that you want to know the reason for its appearance here today? I will explain later, please."

I must have made a frowny face at him because his expression went blank and he continued on without acknowledging my disappointment.

"Milady, indeed you have many gifts, which are still raw and uncontrolled. Your father's mother did what she could in teaching you the basics, however with the threat of the _upir_ upon us, we have a common nemesis to defeat."

"Yeah, the other _svetocha_ left me a back message a few days ago. Did you hear?" I was heavy with sarcasm hoping I wouldn't have another post-traumatic stress disorder episode just thinking about it.

"I heard. Please accept my condolences for your encounter with Ms. Lena. She is ruthless and vindictive and persistent. She will not stop until she is satisfied in seeking revenge against you and her brother, Reynard, for Sergej's execution and other past transgressions."

I looked at the wall as I spoke. "Yeah, Christophe. I guess you probably know he left the _schola_ today?"

There was a long pause. "Yes, Miss Dru. However I believe it is for the best. You need all the focus you can gather at this point and his presence might have slowed your progress. Not to mention that it could attract more of Ms. Lena's attention. It is a good thing, Milady. You will see." I was confused by Leander's response but didn't want to interrupt him again. I hoped to sponge as much information as I could get from him.

"Let's begin, Milady."

For the next two hours Leander told me about the history of sorcery, the Maharaj and our ancestors, the _djinni_. He explained my family's lineage and how I came to possess two powerful traits that made me who I am – a gifted superhuman with a tendency to drink blood. For the first time in a very long time I felt grounded. I soaked up the knowledge that I had been longing for my whole life.

Leander pointed to the terrarium with the bee colony contained inside. "You see how the queen is the largest and most important individual in this hive, Milady?" I nodded my understanding. _Oh, my God. Please don't make me stick my head in there or something like on Fear Factor._

"She leads the hives to success or failure, does she not? She controls the movement of the colony therefore she is the key. If one were to control the queen, one would also control the colony. Do you comprehend?"

I nodded slowly and then shook my head from side to side. "No, I mean yes, but not really. Is this like a metaphor or something?"

Leander smiled at me. "Not exactly, Miss Dru. What I am saying is that one day soon you will possess the ability to control the queen and with her, the hive. Once you master mind-control of simpler beings, you can do so much more." As he spoke, Leander walked over to one of the tapestry-covered walls and pulled the fabric aside. He revealed a door, took out a card key, and swiped it across an electric pad. The door clicked open.

"Come please, Milady." _What in the world is behind that door?_

I cautiously followed Leander through the doorway into a larger room that contained glass cages. There were a dozen containment boxes, each with various creatures inside. Some I recognized like a fairy and a revelle. Others were unidentifiable such as a lizard-like thing that had spikes on its head and down its back but stood on two legs. It crouched to the ground and seemed to be eating some kind of raw meat as fresh blood dripped from its sharp little teeth. Without the odor, my blood hunger remained in control.

As I walked around the room, I zoned in on one cage in particular which held something that haunted me still. I could tell that it was once female based on its size and long hair, which was decomposing from its scalp. The skin was torn and missing in several areas where the dried muscle and bones were exposed and hanging. Its face was sunken in and hollowed and it was making a gasping breathing noise. It was a revenant, a zombie, and it's dead brown eyes looked straight into mine.

**Readers: What is Dru going to do without Christophe or Graves to keep her out of trouble? Just wait and see what Dru can do. Why does Leander have a creature zoo in his secret room, including the zombie chick and what is he going to do with it? What's going on with Dru's mom's cookie jar? Will evil _svetocha_, Magdalena, strike Dru again next chapter? **


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